Friday, August 27, 2010

I took a walk outside to see the weather, and when I swung back into the office, a flock of girls in the school's skin care program met me with a "Jill! You'll do it won't you???"

"It" being a volunteer for a beauty make over.

They were right, I would.

Totally would!

I didn't even bother to think about why they thought of me when they thought of "make over". Around where I work, it is not a cause for dismay if someone in the hall way to flags you down to undergo a wax or facial peel.

(In fact, I had just gotten flagged for a peel on Tuesday evening, and I was indeed peeling nicely while the make-up artist-to-be was working on me.)

Apparently each student was assigned a movie star's picture, and were to apply make up to a classmate to mimic the star's look.

No...it wasn't so much that I brought to mind Scarlett...there was just an odd number of students and by co-incidence the left over student had drawn SJ's look to duplicate.

It would take more than make-up to make me look like the luscious Ms. Scarlett J. But I have to say, I do like the make-up palette that she was wearing in the "inspiration" photograph.That's what's so fun about a make-over. You get to see how something different would work on you.

Had to take some "After" pictures in the hat I was wearing that day.

The skin care girls are all about sunscreen.I am all about not re-applying sunscreen three to four times a day...I apply a hat instead.

They nag me to remember to put sunscreen on my neck, arms and hands too. Tuesday I also had an arm peel as the summer sun had left that skin looking pretty old. I may have to consider wearing opera length gloves in the future if I want to have nice hand and arm skin without slathering sunscreen there too.

Back home I was a bit disappointed that B. was working quite late. I wanted him to see the make-over too. I consoled myselfby playing with the "after" pictures a bit. Adding sepia to one image was an interesting make-over too.

The thing about digital camera: you can take as many shots as you want, and even try out new expressions.I call this the: "Don't mess with a middle aged librarian in a hat if you know what is good for you" look.

The friendly and approachable librarian in a hat look...

The "I'm listening" look.

Cropping pictures is fun too...straighten and tip the image for a different look. When Bernie came home I showed him the pictures. He said I looked sixteen again! Or more accurately, I looked sixteen again in the pictures. You see, a make-up make-over can only do so much. For real make-over satisfaction, it is important to use what the movie stars use:

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Anyone up for a bit of thinking and Bible study?Oh come on...I know kid and flower and food pictures are a ton of fun, but occasionally a bit of thinking beyond "That is so cute!" is good too!

First of all: everyone caught that Iran loaded up their nuclear power plant last week, right?

I myself was particularly interested in the fact that the power plant is situated over a fault line. I do hope they planned and made the "power plant" earthquake proof.

Iran also proudly announced and demonstrated its new drone named "The Ambassador of Death".Happily, some authorities say the scariest part of the thing is its name, rather than its capabilities.

I saw this Bible study on Iran by John McTernan on THIS site, and thought I'd share it as it was pretty insightful and best of all, shows how merciful God is to even those who fight against Him.

It is a fast read; I think you will be glad you spent a moment to understand who Iran is in the Bible.

Elam/Iran in the Latter-DaysJeremiah 49:38 And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the LORD.

Elam is an ancient geographical location mentioned in the Bible. Today its location would be mainly in Iran with a small section in Iraq. It bordered with the ancient Babylonian Empire. The actual location of Elam would be the very northern end of the Persian Gulf and down along with the west coast of Iran. Today one of main sections of ancient Elam would include Bushehr Province with the capital city of Bushehr. On a map of the Persian Gulf, Bushehr would be directly across from Kuwait (it is the red area of the picture.)

Bushehr is very important today because it is the location of Iran’s nuclear facility and has the attention of the world. Thus, the physical location of ancient Elam is critical today.It is feared that Iran would use this plant to help build nuclear weapons to destroy Israel and threaten other nations. Israel has stated that it will not allow Iran to become a nuclear power, and it is very possible Israel will attack Iran to destroy this nuclear complex at Bushehr. It is also possible that World War 3 could start over the Bushehr nuclear plant. Thus, ancient Elam has become a focal point in dealing with Israel and fits directly into God’s prophetic plan as the world heads toward the day of the LORD.Modern Location of BushehrIn the Bible, the word Elam seldom appears. The name was derived from Noah’s grandson from Shem (Genesis 10:22). In Genesis 14, a battle is recorded between Abraham and a confederation of Kings. Chedorlaomer was listed as the king of Elam and part of the battle. In Isaiah 11:11, Elam is listed as one of the locations the Jews will return from just prior to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. In Daniel 8, the prophet was in Elam.Elam was listed with the nations that assisted the Assyrians and Babylonians in their attacks against Jerusalem. The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel all write blistering judgments against Elam.The Prophet Jeremiah speaks the most about Elam, as he describes a severe judgment against Elam. In very powerful language God describes His fierce anger and judgment against Elam. The judgment against Elam is very intense with language that is only found in these verses. These verses found in chapter 49 follow:Jeremiah 49:34,35 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.(36) And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.(37,38) For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them: And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the LORD.(39) But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD.The context of Jeremiah 49 is judgment on nations that will be fulfilled during the Day of the LORD. The judgment against Elam was not fulfilled but will be in the future. The prophecy speaks of the people being driven off the land and scattered into all the world. This has never happened in recorded history. It also speaks of the God of Israel setting His throne in Elam. This has never happened. This is all future because this prophecy was never fulfilled. It appears that with Elam now the focus of world attention, God is about to fulfill it.According to Obadiah 1:15, God judges nations in relation to what that nation does to Israel. The judgment as recorded in Jeremiah 49 indicates that Elam was a fierce enemy of Israel. It participated in two attacks on Jerusalem. Elam was with the Assyrians and assisted the Babylons in their attacks on Jerusalem. Now, Israel is once again a nation and ancient Elam/Iran is again trying to destroy Israel and capture Jerusalem. Iran wants to destroy Israel and drive the Jews into the entire world; therefore, Elam is going to be destroyed and the people scattered into the nations.Right now Elam/Iran is a fierce enemy of Israel and wants to wipe Israel off the map. Literally, a nuclear reactor sits in Elam for the purpose of destroying Israel. Elam is Israel’s most dangerous enemy.Elam/Iran is also the center of Shiite Islam which wants to conquer the world for Allah. It is the center of belief in the Mahdi (Jill: the 12thIman) who the Shiite Muslims believe will lead Islam to conquer the world. Elam can be viewed as the number one enemy of the God of Israel. Shiite Islam led by Elam/Iran is about to violently collide with God's End-Time prophetic plan as stated in the Bible.Mahdi Mosque in IranJeremiah records in verse 35 that God is going to break the bow of Elam which means its military power. In verse 36, the prophet states,"And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven..." This is the first time the term "Four winds" is used in the Bible. Later the Prophet Daniel uses this expression . It means fierce judgment. God is going to bring judgment from every angle and drive them off the land. A special judgment is decreed against Elam.In verse 38, God is going to set His throne in Elam. This is an astonishing verse! This is the only nation other than Israel, where God states He is going to set His throne! It is clear from many scriptures that God is going to set His throne in His Holy Temple in Jerusalem. It appears that this verse is indicating that God's authority will be over Elam.Right now Islam is the authority over Elam as Iran is the center of militant Islam and the promotion of the Mahdi to rule the world. Is God singling out Elam because it is the center of Islam's attempt to destroy Israel and take over the world? This verse shows that Islam will be broken and the nation that wanted the Mahdi to conquer the world will be under the authority of the God of Israel.

In verse 39, Jeremiah wrote that in the "Latter-Day" God would bring the people back to Elam. This means that during the reign of the Lord Jesus, God is going to show His mercy and bring the Elam/Iranians back into the land.Awesome events are about to break over Elam. They have a nuclear reactor and are making plans to destroy Israel. Elam is preparing for the Mahdi and world conquest. The prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 49:34-39 is waiting to be fulfilled. It appears the time to judge Elam/Iran and Islam is at hand. The throne of the Lord Jesus will be over Elam.Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Jill here again: I have to wonder if a broken nuclear power plant would be the reason for all the people of Iran to scatter all over the world. It seems reasonable to me that every nation would accept such a need for relocation.

I'm really curious why God says in the one passage that He will set His throne in Iran.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Weekend field trip to Huntington Reservoir and River, the site where in 1988 a Mastodon elephant's body was found, intact, after 11,000 years in a bog. The reservoir was under construction when a backhoe operator dug up what at first looked like a log.

Upon further examination, it was determined to be bone and a paleontologist was called in. The mastodon body was so well preserved that it was possible to tell what he had last eaten (pine needles) his age (65, with a lot of arthritis) and lots of other details.

Question: Is it possible that more such bones are lurking under the wildflowers in the hills?

Question: Wouldn't it be amazing to start digging a cabin foundation and come across another mastodon?

The area had flooded three days earlier and mushrooms were everywhere!

Question: Is this mushroom safe to eat?

Question: What does it look like underneath the cap?

Answer to that second question: It looked like this...

(Still don't know if I could have cooked it up...)

The last of the season's flowers were going to seed.

Question: What is this thing?

Pretty pods...

The pine beetle has been in the area.

Question: Can that clump on the skeletal tree remains still stay alive if it is parasitic like holly?

The Huntington river was running crystal clear and I could count all the trout as they swam about. This was a brook trout.

Question: Why are Huntington trout so uppity that they ignore every kind of fly that Bernie cast RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM???

(Answer: I think they were just full of bugs that the rain and flood had washed into the river earlier.)

Question: How can such slimy looking stuff produce such pretty flowers on the water?

Question: So, like...do the mushrooms completely open underground and then push up through the moss?

Question: Could I eat these mushrooms?

We hiked up a trail aside the river. You can see the sedimentary layers that formed over time. See the tiny thin layers towards the top?

Question: If the great sea that went from Arizona up to Idaho was formed during the Biblical flood, then why were there layers formed?

(No question here. It is just beautiful to look at.)

I liked the little peek-a-boo window beneath this boulder.

Question: When did this boulder fall into the river?

Question: How long will it take for the river to knock the rock off its perch?

The thistles were starting to bloom.

Question: How can something be so prickly and yet have such soft flowers?

The field asters were blooming nicely too.

Question: Why were some asters pale lavender while others were deep purple?

A fallen tree with fantastic root structure that looks like a dragon chomping down on something.

Question: How could such delicate roots not be more broken up from being ripped from the soil?

More mushrooms. I had no idea that their stems were bright yellow until I pushed a couple over.

Question: Can I eat THESE mushrooms?

End of the day...the sun setting on the river bend.

We saw deer and a badger on the drive home.

Question: Why is it that I have now seen two badgers in one month after 56 years of never seeing even one before?

PS: I will be getting a field guide to mushrooms. There were soooo many of them and so many types I thought it was awful that some of them might have been delicious and I didn't know it.

I've seen people out harvesting mushrooms all the time around here.

There must be some good ones out there but I'm not going to dare to eat any of them until I know how to tell a safe mushroom from a deadly one!

I'm Jill. I'm a librarian and milliner now living in Salt Lake City with my husband of 37 years and my three shelter adopted cats. I'm 60, was born and expected I would spent my whole life in San Diego, save for two years in Corvallis Oregon in college.
Then beginning in 1997, right after our youngest graduated from high school my husband and I began "empty nesting" on the move. We lived one year in Almenden CA (San Jose area), two years in Dallas TX and eight years on Houston TX before moving Salt Lake City in the fall of 2008.
I love it here, but counting on Heaven being my ultimate hometown! I do hope we will one day be neighbors there?
I have two adult children; a daughter in San Diego and a son (and daughter-in-law) who also live in Salt Lake City; two beloved grandsons, and parents who were born and still live in San Diego, and who read my blog every day.